Tipping spreader



oct. 11, 1949. L. w. WACHTER 2,484,325

TIPPING SPREADER Filed Feb. 5, V19,45 7 sheets-Sheet l Oct. 11, 1949. L. w. wAcHTE-R 2.484.325

TIPPING SPREADER Filed Feb. 5, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet .2

Oct. 1l', 1949. l.. w. wAcHTER 2,484,325

' TIPPING SPREADER Filed Feb. 5, 1945 '7 sheets-Sheet 5 j?? yar Easier M Mac Zer Qct. 11., 1949. L. w. wAcHTER 2,484,325

TIPPING SPREADER .Filed Feb. 5, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 11, 1949. L. w. wAcHTER A2,484,325

TIPPING SPREADER Oct. 11, 1949. w. wAcHTER TIPPING SPREADER Filed Feb. 5. 1945 '7 Sheets-Shree?l 7 .h/aragn Patented Oct. 11, 1949 TIPPING SPREADER Lester W. Wachter, Streator, Ill., assignor to Anthony Company, Streator, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 5, 1945, Serial No. 576,246

Claims. (Cl. 275-8) This invention relates to a spreading apparatus and particularly to an apparatus adapted to be mounted on a dump truck or tipping vehicle. It has for one object therefore to provide a mechanism for feeding material from a tipped container such as a truck body and'for distributing the material so fed.

Another object is to provide means for spreading the material as it is distributed.

Another object is to provide means for retaining the distributing mechanism in vertical position at all positions of the tipping container.

A still further object is to provide means in connection with the distributing means for opening or closing the discharge opening as the container is tipped.

Another object is to provide means for driving the distributing mechanism either as a result of the motion of the vehicle or by independent power means, or by power means driven from the power plant of the vehicle and independent of the forward or rearward movement of the vehicle.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the mechanism mounted on a dump truck and in the upright or untipped position;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device of Figure l;

Figure l3 is a longitudinal section taken at line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the device in a tipped position;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure;

Figure 5 is a detailed end View of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a plan view showing a modified drive;

Figure '7 is a perspective View showing a modied form in which separate power means are shown;

Figure 8 is a detailed section taken at line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a partial rear elevation of a further modified form showing means for driving the distributor mechanism from the engine of the truck.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings.

In the particular form here shown, the device is illustrated on a tipping truck. Only so much of the truck is shown as Will be necessary for an understanding of the device.

The truck comprises frame members I and is supported at its rear upon wheels 2 which are carried on an axle n e. The springs and other truck members are omitted." One of the wheelsk 2 may have a sprocketll mounted upon it for purposes to be described later. A body or container 5 is mounted upon the truck and is provided with members -6 which are pivoted, as at l, upon any desired portion ofthe truck frame or chassis. Means for tipping the body 5 are provided, although nvot shown, because tipping trucks are well-known in the art and available on the market today.

The body may be tipped by any means. The distributingmechanism is mounted upon a closure member at the rearl of the tipping body. Ordinarily tipping bodies not provided with distributors have `tailgates mounted so as to be opened orclosed. When the device of this invention is to be used, the conventional tailgate is removed and a closure member is substituted. This member may be bolted in place so that it cannot swing, or, if desired, it may be hinged so that it can swing and so that under certain circumstances it can act as a tailgate, even though the distributing means are mounted upon it.

As shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, the member which carries the distributing means is a tailgate and is pivoted for swinging and is provided with latches to hold it against swinging. As shown in Figure 5, the member is bolted in place and is in no sense a gate. The distributing means is mounted upon a member 8 which may be provided,l adjacent lits upper end at each side with a pair of pins 9 which are received in retaining members I0 supported on a portion I I of the body frame. `The member 9 is removably retained in the parts Il) by pins I2. Adjacent its lower end or edge the member 3 is provided with pins I3 which are engaged by latches I4 which are operated by rods I5. These latter are preferably connected to means at the forward end of the` body or in the cab of the truck so that they can be operated by the driver without the necessity of leaving the cab. The member 8 is preferably provided with a rrearwardly or outwardly curved portion I6, the lower` margin of which is substantially on the same level as the oor or bottom Il of the tipping body 5.

A shaft I8 is mounted in bearings I9, which are themselves mounted on the member 8, and the shaft carries a plurality of auger sections 20. As will be seen in Figure 8, these sections are differently directed, so that they move or tend to move the contents of the body toward discharge openings 2I, of which two may be formed in the rear of the member 8. An eccentric 22 is mounted on the shaft and is engaged by a member 23 to which a connecting rod 24 is mounted. The connecting rod engages a lever 25 which is xed to a shaft 26. This shaft is carried on bearings 2l and extends substantially across the rear of the body. A number of levers 23 are'xed on-the'shaft 26, :and they carry downwardly depending members 29 to which pins or prongs 30 may be Xed.

Members 3l are fixed to the closure 8 and guide the rear ends of the members 29.

As a convenient means for synchronizing the various drives necessary for operating' the* auger and the distributor, a housing 32'is mounted upon one end of the member 8 and adapted to move with it. It may be made integrally' or may be made of a number of pieces. The shaft I8 passes through the housing and carries adjacent it' a sprocket 33. In the form shown in Figure 1 the sprocket-'Sl-is engaged by a chain or belt 34 which is also positioned about' the sprocket 4;

A`- radiusarm 35 is pivoted about' the center 'I andf carries at its free end a roller 36 which is adaptedi tocontactthe chain 34. A spring 311 is connected' at' one end to the arm 35 and at the other end, as at 38,- is anchored upon the bodyat any desired point.-

Fi'xedf on thev shaftl- I8# and Awithin the housing 321is-a1gear39'.` Positioned alsowithin the housing-'SZJ-andl meshing withv the gear 39 is a pinion 4501 This: pinionisvfixedl on a shaft 4I carried in bearings 42 and may be connected to a sleeve 4311which-eng`ages a shaftI 44, which latter is supported' inta. bracket-45. A corresponding bracket fs'upport's an extension4l1 of the shaft 44.v The shaft 441,411 passes into gear housings 48 within which beveled gear means arel provided. A meme berd''con'nectsthe housings 48 rigidly. From each oi the` gear housings 48- projects a vertical shaft 581.1- These-shaiftsaredriven from the shaft 44, `47` throughr the gears. contained in the housings 48'. The shaft 441` might be separate from and connected? to theshaft 41' by a member whichl wouldff pass through thef sleeve 49; Whatever the construction, twoV shaftsl 5I]A are driven at theV same' speed.' by the Vgearing contained in the housingsi 48.1. Eachfshaiitflcarries adjacent its lower en'd a spinner or distributor which isformed with ai solid!J or continuous bottomy portion 5I' and a pluralityot` preferably' radially arranged vanos i522 Projecting' downwardly from;v the gear housings 48 arel housing members: 53.k which are rigidly ixedfwith respecttothe housings 48. Upon each of` the: housings 53' ismounted a cover member 54'. These members are. shown particularly in Figures 1,2 and' 3Y and are. so disposed as to overliezthe outlet openings 2l in the member 8. They arerpreierably` somewhat curved to correspond to the shapeof the curvedaportionV I6.

It will bel seen that the assembly,. including the gear housings.y 48, 48,. the shafts 58 and the dis.- tributorsf 5I 52:,.is mounted asa unit and is carried for rotation upon the. brackets and 46. In order to retain the shafts 5I]- in vertical position atV all times.. irrespective of thel position of the body. 5, a radius rod or link 55- is provided. This member is pivoted at its'lower end' upon a bracket 56 which is mounted onany desired part ofthe non-tipping portion ofthe truck. At its upper end this member is pivoted, asat` 56,- toanarmyEIiy which isz 'xed upon ther sleeve= 4'9bymeans of a* collar 59' or. otherwise.`

Inl thei modified! form-of` Figure 6; the" drive to'- the shaft I8 is accomplished by two chains, rather than by a single chain, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. To accomplish this a stub shaft 66 is mounted in suitable bearings and carries a sprocket 6I about which a chain 62 is positioned. This chain engages the sprocket i and is driven by it. The belt or chain tensioning means is the sameas that described in connection with Figure 1. A second sprocket 83 is mounted on the shaft 68. A chain 64 engages the sprocket S3 and also the sprocket 33 on the shaft i8 to drive it.

In the modiied forms of Figures '7 and 8 means are shown for driving the device independently of the vehicle, and these means comprise an' internal combustion engine. The drive for the various shafts is the same as that shown and'.` described in connection with the earlier iigures. The sleeve 49 is omitted and a shaft is formed' of a portion 65 which may be integral with the portions 44 and 6l.

If desired, a discontinuous shaft may extend clear through both of the gear housings 48 and thel invention may embody, therefore, a continuous.` Shaft or several shafts axially aligned and connected to rotate as one.

A pulley Eis -Xed on the shaft 65and is driven by means of a belt 6l from the pulley 68 of an internal combustion engine B9.

The internal corninistionI engine is mounted upona platform 'Iiifrorn which a reinforcing eX- tension 'IfI projectsdownwardly and is secured to stifen-ing membersV T25 which are themselves fas tened to the housings 531 In this form of the device the radius rod or link 55 is secured to the lower end of the projection 1I.

By this means when the body is tipped the motors and the gear housings/38 andthe housings, 53?, as well as the shafts 5-0- and the distributors 5I and 52, are retained in al vertical position, irrespective of the tipped or non-tipped condition of the body..

In orderto provide room for the engine when the is tipped, the member 8 is cut away opposite the body and is provided with an inwardily projecting portion I3 which closes thel cut away portion. of the member 8 and provides an enclosed. space into which the engine projects when the body istipped.

In the modified form of Figure 9, the shaftl 4l is provided with` ahydraulicl or electric motor Thedetails of' thismotor are not shown, as they form no essential part of' the invention. Many forms: of electric motors or hydraulic motors suitable for driving the shaft are well-known and are available on'y the. market. Ii a hydraulic motor is used, pressure fluid is directed to it and returned from it through conduits 'I5 and 15a. Pressure fluid may' be furnished by a pump located at any desirable pointon the total assembly.

Instead of the` hydraulic motor 74, an electric motor may be used, and it will occupy generally the" sa-rne space as that occupied by the hydraulic motor 14. Conductors for electric current will occupy substantially the position shown by the pressure fluid-conduits 'I5 and 15a.

For some purposes, if the body is designed to spread onlyk one sort of material, the discharge openings 2=I may be: of constant size. For other purposes, itfisfdesirabl'e. to provide means for varying the size of the discharge openings. One such means. is illustrated in Figures 2 and 8 in which on eachside ofj each opening ZI there is positioned a--shutter T6. These shutters are arranged to'- slide in guides'il positioned above and' below themV and eachl shutter isl provided with a set scr-ewf T82 'Ifher Shanks of the set screws are ar-` ranged to slidein slots 19 formedin guiding and locking means 80. The shutters 16 are moved to the desired positionand the set screws are tightened in the guides 80, and the shutters are thus held in adjusted position until they are again positively readjusted by-the operator. The outermost guides 80 may conveniently be Welded or otherwise fastened to the member 8 and the innermost guides may be mounted on a member 8l which is itself secured to the member 8.

. Although I have shown an operative form of my invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and my showing is therefore'to be taken as, in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:`

The spreader of this invention is intended normally for application to a truck or to a trailer on which a tipping body or receptacle is mounted. The body may be tipped in any manner and by any suitable mechanical means and the invention is` not limited to any particular form of tipping body or any particular means for tipping it. Tipping or dumping trucks are ordinarily equipped witha tail gate at the rear of the body so arranged that it may be opened when the body is tipped to discharger the load. When the device of ,the `present invention is to be applied the tail gate ordinarily present will be removed and the member 8 which carries the spreader assembly will be substituted. This member may be pivotally mounted as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 on the mounting means normally provided for the conventional tail gate or it may be bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened in place as shown in Figure 5. In the one case it may serve under certain conditions as a tail gate as well as a spreader. In the other case it does not serve as a gate but merely as an end closure for the body and as a spreader. The operation of the spreading assembly is substantially the same whether the member 8 whichcarries it be mounted as a movable gate or be fixed in position.

Several different means for operating the spreader assembly drive have been indicated and in general the drive operates and performs in the same manner no matter how it is driven. Thus the feeding means within the body move material to the discharge openings and material falls through those openings onto the spreader members and is spread and discharged no matter by what means the drive is accomplished.

Considering the first form of the device as shown in the rst ve figures, the member 8 is put in place at the rear of the body and the member carries all of the essential parts of the mechanism so that it may be put in place or removed from a vehicle as a unit.

If 4the device is to be driven as a result of the movement of the vehicle a sprocket 4 will be mounted upon one of the wheels of the vehicle so as to be driven by the wheel as it rotates. The sprocket 4 is engaged by the chain 34 which in turn engages the sprocket 33 and through the gearing which includes the gear 39, the pinion 4U, the drive shafts 4I, 44 and 41, the spinner or spreader shafts 5B are actuated and the material is discharged to the spinners and is thrown laterally by the vanes or blades 52. n

Ordinarily, of course, material will not be discharged from the body except when the latter is in the tipped position as shown in Figure 3 and the discharge openings are, therefore, closed except at the time that the body moves toward the tipped position/and remainsin the tipped position.

Assuming that the body has a load which is to be discharged andthat the truck has been driven to the point lwhere the load is to be discharged the tipping meanswill be actuated to tip the body. As thismovement occurs the body tips from the position of Figure 1 tothat of Figure 3 and the radius rod or link 55 holds the distributor assembly so that the shafts 50 remain vertical at all times.

The shafts 50 have supported from them through the housings 53 the closure members 54. When the body isin the untipped position as shown in Figure 1 these members overlie the discharge openings 2l from the body and hence close them, As the body tips, the shafts 50 and the housing 53, since they are held vertical, move relatively to the tipping body 5 and thus the closures 54 are moved away from the discharge openings 2l and free those openings for discharge.

At the same time if the vehicle is driven forward the shaft I8 is actuated and the augers upon it move material tothe discharge openings 2l through which the material falls. The material falling through these openings drops toward the spinner or distributor members and is contacted by the paddles or blades 52 and is thrown laterally by them as they rotate. This action will continue as long as the truck is moved and as long as material remains to be discharged from the tipping body. i

When the load has been discharged the body is returned to the untipped position of Figure 1 and by reason of the action of the member 55 the shafts 50 and the housings 53 carrying the closure members 54 return toward the body and the closure members are finally brought into position where they close the discharge openings 2|.

The driving means of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, may be left connected when the truck is in motion and not discharging materialV or it may be disconnected. The driving means may readily be disconnected by pressing downwardly on the arm 35 against `the resistance of the spring 3'|. This action provides enough slack in the chain 34 to permit the operator to remove it so that the shaft I8 need not be driven. When it is desired to drive the device again the operation is reversed and the chain 34 is put into engagementwith the sprocketsr4 and 33 and the assembly is ready for driving. n

For some purposes it is desirable to provide an agitator and the agitator which includes the members 29 and the pins 30 may be mounted on the member 8 if desired. Experience has shown that for most purposes this agitator is unnecessary, but if it is desired it is mounted as shown, and when present, rotation of the shaft I8 moves the eccentric 22, and through the member 23 which engages the eccentric, moves the rod 24 up and down and thus moves the member 25 which is connected to the shaft 26. The latter is oscillated by this movement and raises and lowers the members 29 which carry the pins 30.

The size of the discharge openings 2| is variable Vand variation in this opening may be accomplished by a variation in the setting of the shutters or slides which appear particularly in Figure 2. These slides may be manually adjusted to increase or decrease the size of the discharge openings 2| and these members once adjusted remain xed in place. They do not constitute the closifires .for discharge openings, Y these `open- -ingsbeingiclosed .and `opened by the members 54, one of which is supported from each of the housings 53' and these members :are moved toward and from the openings 2l as rdescribed above.

The construction of the ybeveled .gear within the housings i8 has not been shown because the invention is not limited to the particular structure :of the gearing.. In ,general it comprises a `beveled gear on the shafts v44 and 4l or upon a continuous shaft which may be substituted for these two shafts. There is also a beveled gear on each shaft 50 and these gears mesh so that rotation of the shaft lll, the sleeve v13 and the shafts ld and il result Yin rotation of the shafts :50.

The Yoperation of the device as shown in Figure 6 is the same as that above described. Rotation of the sprocket Ll drives the chain 6.2 which drives the sprocket 6l. Rotation of the sprocket 6l causes rotation of the sprocket 63 since both are mounted on the shaft 60 and rotation of the sprocket 63 drives the shaft I8 by means of the chain l64 and the sprocket 33.

In the modified form of the device shown in Figures '7 and 8 the 4rotation of the shaft E8 and lthrough it the rotation of the shaft 4l and associated parts is accomplished not as a result of the v-movement of the vehicle but as a result of the operation of the internal combustion engine. This engine drives the pulley 66 which is mounted onfa shaft 65. As pointed out above the shaft 65 may be'conn'ec'ted to the shafts 44 and '4l or those two shafts may be omitted and a single shaft t5 may extend through .both gear housings 48 and consequently rotation of vthe vshaft 65 accomplishes rotation of the shafts 5U. The engine assembly is mounted on a platform which moves as the body tips and its movement is controlled .by the .radius member 55 so that the shafts El! and associated parts are held in vertical position at all degrees of tip in the same manner as that above described in connection with Figures l to 4 inclusive. As the body tips in the form of Figures 7 and 8 the member 8 moves downwardly toward the tipped position and since the engine assembly remains vertical the two pivot toward each other. The upper part of the engine in effect moves into the depression or compartment formed within vthe member 8 and thus the engine does not interfere with the movement of the body.

AnA advantage which occurs when the engine is used is that the engine may be operated at any time and therefore the spreading mechanism does y' not depend upon movement of the vehicle :and is wholly 4independent of that movement. It might be operated while the lvehicle is stationary. The use-of an engine thus provides a somewhat more flexible drive for the spreader lthan that which is possible where the spreader is driven only as a vresult of the movement of the vehicle.

In the modified form of Figure 9 the spreader is driven by what is in effect a separate motor. It may be a -hydraulic motor or an electric motor. If it is hydraulic it will be actuated by a pump. The lpump itself may be controlled directly Vto control `the rotation of the shaft `I8 upon `which the motor is arranged to drive or the Vmotor vmight run constantly and the hydraulic system might be provided with valve controls which would enable the operator to control the movement of the hydraulic motor at all times.

Instead of `a hydraulic motor an electric motor might Ibe used and lits oper-ation would be substantially the same Aas that of the hydraulic motor. It would be stopped and started at the will of the operator to accomplish Whatever driving effect is desired. f

I claim:

l. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a tipping body thereon and a unitary spreader assembly adapted to be mounted thereon as .a unit, said spreader assembly comprising an end closure for said body and a plurality of mechanisms mounted on and supported by said closure, said closure shaped to provide a plurality of discharge openings adjacent its lower edge, said mechanisms including a conveyor member mounted within said end closure, having a shaft and shaped to convey material to said discharge openings, and means for spreading material after it passes through said openings, said means including a plurality of spreader members, each having a shaft, means for holding said shafts vertical irrespective of the position of said body, closures for said discharge openings, said closures being mounted upon and adapted to move with said shafts, and means for driving said shafts, said means being connected to means for driving said conveyor and a exible member positioned about said conveyor shaft and about a member which is rotated by a portion of the running gear of said vehicle.

2, In combination with an automotive vehicle, a tipping body thereon and a unitary spreader assembly adapted to be mounted thereon as a unit, said spreader assembly comprising an end closure for said body and a plurality of mechanisms mounted on and supported by said closure, said closure shaped to provide a plurality of discharge openings adjacent its lower edge, said mechanisms including a conveyor member mounted within said end closure, having a shaft and shaped to convey material to said discharge openings, adjustable means for varying the size of said openings and means for spreading material after it passes through said openings, said lmeans including a plurality of spreader members, each having a shaft, means for holding said shafts vertical irrespective of the position of said body, closures for said discharge openings, 4said closures being mounted upon and adapted :to move-with said shafts, and means for driving '.2 said shafts, said means being connected to means for driving said conveyor and a flexible member positioned about said conveyor shaft and about a member which is rotated by a portion of the running gear of said vehicle and yieldable means for maintaining suitable tension in said flexible member and a material agitating means mounted on said end closure and driving connections for moving -said agitating means, said connections being 4actuated by movement of said conveyor shaft.

3. In combination with an automotive Vehicle, a tipping body mounted thereon and a unitary spreading assembly complete within itself, said assemblx7 comprising a supporting member mounted on the rear of said receptacle and comprising an end closure therefor, said end closure provided with a discharge opening through which material may be discharged from the body and means for moving material within the body toward said opening and spreader means for spreading material after it passes through said opening, said spreader means comprising a member positioned to rotate about a vertical axis and having a plurality of blades, and means for rotating said spreader member, and means 4for maintaining the axis of said spreader member constantly vertical irrespective of the position of said body and means for driving said spreading assembly, and a closure member for said discharge opening, said closure member being provided with meansto move it away from said opening as the body is tipped and to return to said opening as the body moves to the untipped position.

4. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a tipping body mounted thereon and a unitary spreading assembly complete within itself, said assembly comprising a supporting member mounted on the rear of said receptacle and comprising an end closure therefor, said end closure provided with a discharge opening through which material may be discharged from the body and means for moving material Within the body toward said opening and spreader means for spreading material after it passes through said opening, said spreader means comprising a member positioned to rotate about a vertical axis and having a plurality of blades, and meansfor rotating said spreader member, and means for maintaining the axis of said spreader member constantly vertical irrespective of the position of said body and means for driving said spreader assembly as a result of the movement of said vehicle, and a closure member for said dis-charge opening, said closure member being provided with means to move it away from said opening as the body is tipped and to return to said opening as the body moves to the untipped position.

5. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a tipping body mounted thereon and a unitary spreading assembly adapted to :be removably mounted on said body as a unit, said assembly comprising a supporting member mounted on the rear of said receptacle and comprising an end closure therefor, said end closure provided with discharge openings adjacent its lower edge 10 through which material may be discharged from the body and means for moving material within the body toward said openings and means for agitating material within said body adjacent said openings and a. plurality of spreader means for spreading material after it passes through said openings, each of said spreader means comprising a member positioned to rotate about a vertical axis and having a plurality of blades, and means for rotating said spreader members, and means for maintaining the axis of said spreader members constantly vertical irrespective of the position of said body and means for driving said spreader assembly as a result of the movement of said vehicle, and a closure member for each of said discharge openings, said closure members being provided with means to move them away from said openings as the body is tipped and to return to said openings as the body moves to the untipped position.

LESTER W. WACHTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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